Tighten your Tummy with an Isometric Exercise



Posted: Thursday, January 07, 2010

by Ellen Miller
isobreathing inc

If you are like me you hate getting on the floor to perform crunches to tighten your tummy. An isometric exercise is getting into a position to contract your muscles and holding that contraction. The longer you hold that isometric position the more intensely you will work that muscle group. I prefer isometric exercises when teaching so an individual will have a better understanding of what muscle groups they are trying to work.

For the abdominals sit tall in a chair with a back. Make sure that both of your feet are touching the ground. (if you can not reach the floor place a pillow behind your back for back support) Place both hands on your knees.

Push your lower back into the chair back or pillow. Round your upper back and at the same time try to reach your hands over your knees. You will feel a contraction in your abdominal muscles.

If this is not intense enough pull your belly in toward your spine. (Suck in your gut) Hold this position while breathing in slowly and exhaling slowly for about 30 seconds. Relax by sitting tall for one single inhale and exhale then get back into position and repeat 2 more times. These three rounds are equal to performing three rounds of 12-15 repetitions.

Perform this specific isometric exercise to tighten your tummy for one week every day and you will feel a tightening in your abdominal area.

Don't forget to practice good posture throughout your busy day. When you sit or stand tall you are stretching your abdominal muscles. Standing tall or sitting tall is not quite an isometric exercise but the bottom line is it works those abs to tighten and strengthen and this will help you if you have some lower back discomfort.

If you practice slow deep diaphragmatic or belly breathing while standing or sitting tall you can pull your belly in toward your spine with every exhale and work your abdominal muscles all day long.

Ellen Miller is a certified Fitness Practitioner/Personal Trainer teaching for the past 25 years. Ellen writes for her monthly newsletter, New Orleans Wedding Magazine and North Shore Health and Wellness. Isobreathing has been nominated for Innovator of the year 2006 by New Orleans City Business. She has snippets at www.youtube.com/isobreathing. Ellen sells DVD's,CD's and Booklets of the IsoBreathing program at www.isobreathing.com
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